_Image: [SatayaPrem](https://pixabay.com/photos/refinery-oil-industry-silhouette-3613522/), via Pexels_
**Report claims that fossil fuel industry links ‘undermine academic independence’**
Nigerian students have criticised how fossil fuel companies impact academic institutions through financial partnerships, raising concerns about conflicts of interest and environmental neglect.
Their report, published by the Campus Climate Network on 3 December, explores the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) partnerships between international oil companies such as Shell, Chevron and Total, and Nigerian universities based in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
CSR programmes are a way for companies to give back to the communities in which they operate. In Nigeria, several such programmes supported by oil companies offer training opportunities for postgraduates and academics.
However, the report’s authors claim that such scholarships and research grants often appear to prioritise corporate interests over educational development or care for the environment. “These scholarships, while beneficial, are predominantly offered to courses aligned with the oil industry’s interests,” write the report’s authors, who have chosen to remain anonymous.
**Academic influence**
The report claims that scholarships from fossil fuel companies can create a conflict of interest for recipient individuals and institutions, resulting in the suppression of research criticising the environmental and social impacts of the oil industry.
“Moreover, students who receive these scholarships may feel indebted to their benefactors, potentially influencing their future career choices and ethical stances,” the authors write.
Collaborations between academic institutions and fossil fuel companies also expose universities to any lawsuits brought against their partners, the report adds. “The association with companies facing legal battles can tarnish the reputation of academic institutions and undermine their mission to serve the public good.”
Rather than continue to rely on fossil fuel companies, the report calls on Nigerian universities to seek alternative funding that better aligns with their goals of environmental sustainability and academic freedom.
“One cannot overemphasise the need to switch towards more considerate and sustainable forms of education and climate financing,” said one report author, in a statement.
RPN approached the oil companies named in this article for comment. They did not respond in time for publication.